Kingston, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa strengthened even further as its eyewall approached landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday. The fearsome Category 5 storm — the strongest to lash the island since record-keeping began 174 years ago — has sustained winds of 185 mph, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages are already being reported, with officials cautioning that the damage assessment will be slow.

"For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure," said World Meteorological Organization tropical cyclone specialist Anne-Claire Fontan. She told reporters in Geneva that she expects catastrophic damage on the island, according to the Reuters news service.

Melissa could affect 1.5 million people in Jamaica, said Internatio

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